Ligand Pharmaceuticals (following its acquisition of Metabasis) is developing pradefovir (remofovir, ICN 2001-3,
MB-06866, Hepavir B), an oral liver-targeting prodrug of adefovir developed using its HepDirect technology, for
the potential treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. China licensee Chiva Pharmaceuticals is also investigating the drug for HBV. By November 2010, Ligand had put on hold further development of this phase II program; however in January 2011, following license to Chiva, the program was back in development.
Licensee Valeant Pharmaceuticals (previously Ribapharm), and its sublicensee Schering-Plough, under license
from Metabasis, were previously developing pradefovir. Valeant had initiated phase II trials in the US, Taiwan,
Singapore and Korea in August 2004. By April 2006, these trials were reported to have
been completed [663095]; it had previously reported, in November 2005, that phase III trials were expected
to start in mid-2006. In February 2007, Schering-Plough listed the compound in phase
II development following its acquisition of the drug; however, by May 2007, dosing had
been suspended in a phase II extension study due to carcinogenicity observed in rodent studies.
In July 2007, Metabasis reported that it had regained rights to the drug from previous licensees based on
negative preclinical carcinogenicity data; at that time, phase II studies had been completed and Metabasis
was reviewing all data. In July 2008, Metabasis realigned resources to focus on metabolic
disease candidates. At that time, the company was seeking to outlicense the program; in March 2009,
the company was still seeking a partner to advance the drug into phase III. However, in January 2010,
Ligand acquired Metabasis.
Ligand Pharmaceuticals is located in La Jolla, California on the cliffs just above Torrey Pines Beach. Founded in 1987, Ligand is a biotech company with a rich heritage in drug discovery and development. Ligand has used its drug development expertise to produce over 40 clinical candidates, 22 INDs, and 5 approved drugs. That's a level of productivity that ranks near the top of the biotech industry.
Today, Ligand is operating with a business model that is based upon the concept of developing or acquiring royalty revenue generating assets and coupling them to an efficiently lean corporate cost structure. Ligand's goal is to produce a bottom line that supports a sustainably profitable business. By diversifying the portfolio of assets across numerous technology types, therapeutic areas, drug targets, and industry partners, we offer investors a de-risked opportunity to invest in the increasingly complicated and unpredictable pharmaceutical industry. We believe Ligand has assembled one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of current and future royalty-generating assets in the industry (now over 50 partnered programs). These therapies address the unmet medical needs of patients for a broad spectrum of diseases including hepatitis, muscle wasting, Alzheimer's disease, dyslipidemia, diabetes, anemia, COPD, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. Ligand has established multiple alliances with the world's leading pharmaceutical companies including GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca